New Bill Mandates GAO Check Every Reported Bill for Government Program Overlap

The Duplication Scoring Act of 2025 is essentially a new quality control step for Congress. It requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO)—the federal government’s main watchdog—to review every single bill that comes out of a Congressional committee to check for redundant programs. Think of it like an internal audit before a new product launch: the GAO has to confirm that Congress isn’t accidentally creating a new office or initiative that duplicates something the government already does.

The Redundancy Radar

Under Section 2, the GAO must scan these bills for any "new duplicative or overlapping feature." This isn't just a vague feeling; it has to be tied to an "existing duplicative or overlapping feature" the GAO has already flagged in its annual reports on government overlap. If the GAO spots a risk—say, a bill creates a new job training program that looks exactly like three existing ones the GAO has already criticized—they have to identify the new program, where it is in the bill, and which existing duplication it matches. This is a procedural change designed to save taxpayer money by stopping redundant programs before they start.

The Budget Scorecard Gets a Warning Label

Once the GAO finds potential overlap, they immediately send that information to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which is responsible for telling Congress how much a bill will cost. The CBO Director then has the option to include the GAO’s duplication findings as a supplement to the official cost estimate. This is a big deal. For busy lawmakers, the CBO score is the headline number. Attaching a warning label about potential waste right next to the cost estimate forces the duplication issue into the budget debate, making it harder to ignore. However, note that the CBO’s ability to include this warning is optional, which could lead to inconsistent application.

What This Means for Everyday Life

While this bill is heavy on process, the goal is efficiency. If you’re a taxpayer, the idea is that this process prevents your money from being wasted on three different federal agencies doing the exact same thing—like having three separate government websites offering small business loans. By catching these overlaps earlier, the Duplication Scoring Act aims to streamline government spending. For federal agencies and Congressional committees, however, this adds a new layer of required review and potential delay. Any new initiative they propose could get flagged, potentially slowing down the legislative process, especially if the GAO or CBO decides to exercise their new oversight muscle.

When the Clock Starts Ticking

Section 3 addresses the effective date, which is a bit complicated. The new rules kick in on the earlier of two dates: either 60 days after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) updates a specific government website, or the day a new Congress starts after a full year has passed since the bill was signed into law. This dual-track start date creates a little uncertainty, making the actual launch date dependent on administrative action by the OMB or the Congressional calendar.